Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Cleven Bundy Is Just A Troll

Of all the silliness surrounding Cleven Bundy's refusal to pay grazing fees, the most absurd is his claim that the federal government can't own land in Nevada.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago gave the land to the federal government; Congress formed some of it into the state of Nevada while retaining ownership of much of the land. To make this extremely clear, the constitution of Nevada explicitly explicitly states:

"...the people inhabiting said territory do agree and declare, that they forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within said territory, and that the same shall be and remain at the sole and entire disposition of the United States...
The Constitution of the United States confers full power on the Federal Government to maintain and Perpetuate its existence, and whensoever any portion of the States, or people thereof attempt to secede from the Federal Union, or forcibly resist the Execution of its laws, the Federal Government may, by warrant of the Constitution, employ armed force in compelling obedience to its Authority."

Even if there were some truth to the insane proposition that Congress can spend money, but can't buy land from other country with it, or accept land in a treaty, the simple fact is that Nevada agreed the federal land in that state is federal land.
In threatening to use violence to implement his political vision, Bundy is advocating terrorism, but even that status is probably too grandiose for him; by angrily shouting stupid things to get a reaction, he's basically just a troll.